Howard becomes the latest high-profile center to join the Lakers, a list that includes the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal.

That is a tall task to follow but Howard says he’s more concerned about making his own history in Los Angeles.

“I don’t want to try to compete with those guys. I want to bring my own flavor here to L.A,” Howard said. “I saw a picture last night, and it was like a Mount Rushmore somebody had. ‘Will he join the list of heads up here with the Laker greats?’ I’m like, hey, I want to be great in my own right. I want to write my own history. And today is my first day of that history.”

Howard, who is rehabbing from his back surgery back in March, didn’t say when he would be ready to suit up.

“We’ll see what the doctor says. If I’m ready for opening night, I’ll be there. But I’m not going to rush it,” he said.

Howard also briefly spoke about becoming a team leader and learning from Kobe Bryant.

“For me, I want to be a great leader. And I have an opportunity to learn from the best, in Kobe, on how to lead a team,” Howard said. “In order to be a great leader, you have to learn how to follow. And I’m looking forward to following in the steps of Kobe and how he leads a team. … One day I want to be the guy that leads the team to a championship, and this is the perfect time to start.”